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Trolley still in jeopardy

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by:
Kurt Schultheis
Managing Editor

Longboat Key’s trolley service most likely will not continue in its current form in 2011.

Town Manager Bruce St. Denis told the Longboat Key Town Commission at its Thursday, Oct. 21, regular workshop that Manatee County will almost certainly not pay its $285,000 share of the Longboat Key trolley route in 2011.

The commission and town staff, however, still believes a solution may be able to be reached for some sort of hybrid public transit route on Longboat Key before a meeting is held on Nov. 2 in Sarasota to review the issue.

Also at its 1 p.m. workshop today at Town Hall, 501 Bay Isles Road, the commission:

Forwarded to its Monday, Nov. 1, regular meeting for first reading:
• An ordinance that will place a referendum question on the March 2011 election ballot addressing term limits as applied to partial terms.

• An ordinance to place a charter referendum on the town’s March 2011 election ballot pertaining to the requirement for a preliminary election.

• An ordinance that will allow the fire chief to participate in a defined contribution plan, which reduces the chief’s pension cost from 46% to 16% of salary.

• An ordinance that amends certain portions of the town’s tree code.

Forwarded to its Monday, Nov. 1, regular meeting for first reading and public hearing:
• An ordinance that revises the infrastructure element of the town’s Comprehensive Plan to support the town’s 10-year potable water supply plan.

Forwarded to its Monday, Nov. 1, regular meeting for formal action:
• A proposed Town Commission meeting calendar for 2011.

• Proposed resolutions that allow for reimbursable government costs for the town’s 2011-12 island-wide beach project.

Forwarded to its Monday, Nov. 1, regular meeting for formal action and public hearing:
• A resolution that allows for changes to the future land-use map for parcels in the Bayfront Park Recreation Center for future redevelopment.

Forwarded to a special workshop meeting scheduled for 6:45 p.m., Nov. 1:
• An ordinance that adopts an amendment to the Comprehensive Plan to update its capital improvements element.

Confirmed:
• The town’s intent to retain control for permitting potential film projects with both Manatee and Sarasota counties.

Allowed:
• The Longboat Key Garden Club to replace existing bricks in the Butterfly Garden with engraved bricks that will be purchased as donations for about $50.

Agreed to refund:
• General obligation bonds that funded the construction of the Town Hall, Police Department and Public Works buildings, which could generate savings of $256,000 over nine years.

Established:
• Legislative priorities for submittal to Sarasota County, Manatee County, and the ManaSota League of Cities.